Why did you bother buying the book? Really. Ask youself that question and give yourself an honest answer.

What is your goal? What is it you want to accomplish? Do you merely want someone to make all of your decisions for you for each and every meal for the rest of your life because you aren't interested in learning enough about your own body and its metabolism to enable to you make decisions on your own?

How important is it to you to make yourself slimmer and healthier for the rest of your life? How much effort are you willing to invest to make this happen? The answer to the second question, whether you like it or not, IS the answer to the first question. If the answer to the second question is, "Not enough effort to read a paperback book that is significantly shorter than many fiction novels," then what does that say about how important losing weight and feeling great are to you?

As for it being too long - let's see. Chapter 11 (the first sentence of which is, "First of all, let me welcome those of you who are starting the book at this point.") starts on page 121 (of the paperback edition) and the Twelve Rules of Induction starts on the very next page, the list of allowed foods is presented two pages later and in less than ten pages total you have the bare bones guide to Atkins - at least the Induction Phase.